Heartland Core Wellness

03/24/2026

🌸 From Birth Stories to Systems: Let’s Talk Maternal Health! 🌸
Join the Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands & Polk Counties, Inc. and Aisha Alayande for a special Lunch and Learn as we dive into what mothers can teach us about building stronger, more equitable maternal health communities.

Whether you’re a provider, a parent or a community advocate, your voice matters in this conversation.
When: Friday, March 27, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EST
Where: Virtual via Zoom
Host: Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties
✨ Registration is required! Secure your spot here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/uEUdzZcNTRClmVDMNsP7Dw

03/11/2026

We’re proud to share that our Executive Director, Aisha Alayande, will be the featured speaker for the upcoming Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands & Polk Counties, Inc. Lunch & Learn.

Aisha will present:

“From Birth Stories to Systems: What Mothers Teach Us About Building Stronger Maternal Health Communities.”

Drawing from her work in public health, maternal advocacy and her lived experience as a mother of seven, Aisha will explore how community engagement and maternal voices can strengthen the systems designed to support mothers and families.

📅 March 27, 2026
🕛 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (EST)
💻 Virtual Webinar

Join the Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties for this important conversation about maternal health and community support.

🔗 Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/uEUdzZcNTRClmVDMNsP7Dw

Thank you to the Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands and Polk Counties for continuing to create spaces where professionals and community members can learn together.

03/03/2026

This 8-hour course on MPeace River Center partAdventHealth Sebring to recognize the signs of mental health challenges and substance use disorders, respond appropriately, and help connect someone in distress to the support they need.

If you want to be better equipped to support the well-being of those around you, we encourage you to attend.

Register here:
https://www.peacerivercenter.org/mhfa-registration/

Thanks to AdventHealth, we are offering free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to the public on March 13. MHFA is an 8-hour course that teaches attendees how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. To find out more information and to register for our next free training, head here: https://www.peacerivercenter.org/mhfa-registration/

12/16/2025

U = U means Undetectable = Untransmittable. When a person living with HIV is on treatment and reaches an undetectable viral load, they cannot pass HIV to their sexual partners. This is liberation. This is science. This is protection.
Florida offers free rapid HIV testing in every county and you can even order a free at-home self-test kit.
→ Find a testing site or request a kit: https://floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/infectious-disease-services/hiv-aids
Need to speak with someone privately? Florida HIV/AIDS Hotline (Confidential): 1-800-FLA-AIDS (352-2437). For care & prevention:
PrEP & PEP Info: https://floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/aids/prep

We’re shifting culture together.

11/11/2025

Honoring the veterans who walk among us in Highlands County—the neighbors, family members, and elders whose service protected our nation and strengthened our community.

Many returned home carrying stories, memories, and healing that our communities must hold with care. Today, we honor not only their courage, but their ongoing journey toward wellness, belonging, and peace.

We thank you. We see you. We are committed to supporting the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.

🕊️ With gratitude, Heartland Core Wellness.

08/05/2025

The Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands & Polk Counties, Inc. Doula Program accepts Sunshine Health Medicaid for doula services!

If you're expecting, now is the perfect time to connect with a doula for support, guidance, and advocacy throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey. We have plenty of availability, so don’t miss this opportunity to have a dedicated doula by your side!

Why choose a doula?
✔️ Emotional & physical support
✔️ Partner involvement & guidance
✔️ Birth plan assistance
✔️ Postpartum care

Reach out today to learn more and get matched with a doula!

We serve moms living in Hardee, Highlands, & Polk Counties. You may contact our Doula Coordinator, Amy Beascoechea, by email at abeascoechea@healthystarthhp.org. You may also complete the contact form at this link --> https://www.healthystarthhp.org/healthy-start-doula-program/

The Healthy Start Doula Program accepts Sunshine Health Medicaid for doula services!

If you're expecting, now is the perfect time to connect with a doula for support, guidance, and advocacy throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey. We have plenty of availability, so don’t miss this opportunity to have a dedicated doula by your side!

Why choose a doula?
✔️ Emotional & physical support
✔️ Partner involvement & guidance
✔️ Birth plan assistance
✔️ Postpartum care

Reach out today to learn more and get matched with a doula!

We serve moms living in Hardee, Highlands, & Polk Counties. You may contact our Doula Coordinator, Amy Beascoechea, by email at abeascoechea@healthystarthhp.org. You may also complete the contact form at this link --> https://www.healthystarthhp.org/healthy-start-doula-program/

06/17/2025

🚨 Late Share, But Worth It! 🚨

Our partners (and fam!) at Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands & Polk Counties,. are hosting a FREE Lunch & Learn with Corey Adams of Mending The Gap-Fatherhood Initiative today, June 17 at 12pm (in 30 minutes)!

📣 Dads, this one’s for you:
Tap into your confidence and see how it shifts everything for your family.

🕐 Tune in on your lunch break
📍 Free on Zoom
🔗 Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WHqRcGFrR1KzWuXWDvoOpg

Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands & Polk Counties, Inc. invites you to participate in a free Lunch & Learn Session with our Assistant Program Director, Corey Adams, on Tuesday, June 17th!

Learn how to tap into feeling your most confident as a father and how that affects your family dynamics.

To register, please use this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WHqRcGFrR1KzWuXWDvoOpg

06/04/2025

Mental Health First Aid = Community First Aid.

We’re grateful for the powerful turnout at our recent Mental Health First Aid training in partnership with AdventHealth Sebring, Safe & Sound Hillsborough, and South Florida State College.

✅ 26 participants registered
✅ Capacity nearly full
✅ More sessions coming this fall!

June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and this is your reminder:
It’s okay to ask for help. You’re not alone.

📲 Call or text 988 for 24/7 crisis support
🔗 Visit www.samhsa.gov or www.nami.org for mental health resources

Together, we’re building a stronger, more compassionate Highlands County, one conversation at a time. 💬💙

05/18/2025

Gratitude. Laughter. Community. Healing

Last Sunday, Heartland Core Wellness’s Aisha Alayande had the honor of hosting the Mayhem Comedy Show in collaboration with Georgia E. Dawkins to raise awareness and funds for mental and maternal health.

With a lineup full of talented comedians, we were reminded of how joyful community work can be when done with a side of laughs.

These photos capture moments from a night filled with laughter, love, and purpose.

Thank you to everyone who made this evening unforgettable:
• Georgia E. Dawkins – Producer & Talent
• Highlands Lakeside Theatre – Video Crew
• Anie Maylin – Photographer
• AdventHealth Sebring
• Mending the Gap – Fatherhood Initiative
• Synergy Health Group
• And every supporter helping us build a future where mental and maternal health thrives.

Together, we are making Highlands county healthier.

05/14/2025

Look at what our partners in wellness over at Peace River Center have going on for Mental Health Awareness Month:

Wear Green Day

Help Peace River Center raise awareness by participating in Wear Green Day on Thursday, May 15. Snap a picture wearing green and post it to your social media profiles, letting others know you support mental health. Be sure to also share their 24-hour emotional support and crisis line, 863.519.3744, because you never know who might need some light. Tag Peace River with and help spread the word by inviting your friends!

Peace River is also hosting a Mental Health Awareness Month Community Symposium where you can learn helpful mental health skills. The Symposium takes place on Wednesday, May 21, at the Black Swan Venue. They will have two mental health experts speak on:

Thresholds of the Mind: Identifying Your Limits and Finding the Calm in the Chaos.

Reserve your spot today!

https://www.peacerivercenter.org/calendar/mham-community-symposium-2025/

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM), we are shining a light on mental health by hosting a Community Symposium on Wednesday, May 21. Learn helpful resources and tips from Peace River Center experts on topics such as "Thresholds of the Mind: Identifying Your Limits" and "Finding the Calm in the Chaos". Register for free today for your spot! https://bit.ly/MHAM-2025-Symposium

05/14/2025

Join Us for a Free Mental Health First Aid Certification Course!

Heartland Core Wellness, in partnership with Safe & Sound Hillsborough and proudly sponsored by Advent Health, invites you to attend a FREE Mental Health First Aid training to support our community during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: South Florida State College, 600 West College Dr., Avon Park, FL 33875

Registration: https://southfloridastate052825.eventbrite.com/

This nationally recognized certification will equip you with the skills to:
• Recognize signs of mental health and substance use challenges
• Respond with confidence in a crisis
• Connect people to appropriate support

Course Value: $175 – offered FREE with registration.
Participants must complete a 2-hour self-paced course before attending the 5.5-hour in-person session.

This training is part of our ongoing commitment to wellness, prevention, and community empowerment.

Register today and be part of the movement to prioritize mental health becausese in May, we Help Every Mind

05/01/2025

Kicking off MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, our community partners over at Move Beyond, Inc. are hosting a virtual panel tonight at 6pm, titled,”UNDERSTANDING:
ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER”

Join this panel for a powerful and informative discussion in recognition of Mentla Health Awareness Month. This event will bring together a panel of mental professionals to explore the realities of anxiety, depression and Oppositional Defiant Disorder conditions that impact individuals of all ages but are often misunderstood or go unrecognized.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88387922245?pwd=hm3ndYlbOTTFanl6A1TVdeNlR39ZM8.1